The Father's Love Letter

My child,  

You may not know me, but I know everything about you. - Psalm 139:1 

 

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.  - Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways. - Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. - Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image. - Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being. - Acts 17:28 

For you are my offspring. - Acts 17:28 

I knew you even before you were conceived. - Jeremiah 1:4-5 

I chose you when I planned creation. - Ephesians 1:11-12 

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. - Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. - Acts 17:26 

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. - Psalm 139:14 

I knit you together in your mother's womb. - Psalm 139:13 

And brought you forth on the day you were born. - Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me. - John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love. - 1 John 4:16 

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. - 1 John 3:1 

Simply because you are my child and I am your Father. - 1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. - Matthew 7:11 

For I am the perfect father. - Matthew 5:48 

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. - James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. - Matthew 6:31-33 

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. - Jeremiah 29:11 

Because I love you with an everlasting love. - Jeremiah 31:3 

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore. - Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing. - Zephaniah 3:17 

I will never stop doing good to you. - Jeremiah 32:40 

For you are my treasured possession. - Exodus 19:5 

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul. - Jeremiah 32:41 

And I want to show you great and marvelous things. - Jeremiah 33:3 

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me. - Deuteronomy 4:29 

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart. - Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires. - Philippians 2:13 

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine. - Ephesians 3:20 

For I am your greatest encourager. - 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. - Psalm 34:18 

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart. - Isaiah 40:11 

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes. - Revelation 21:3-4 

And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth. - Revelation 21:3-4 

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus. - John 17:23 

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. - John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being. - Hebrews 1:3 

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you. - Romans 8:31 

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins. - 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. - 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you. - 1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love. - Romans 8:31-32 

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me. - 1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again. - Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen. - Luke 15:7 

I have always been Father, and will always be Father. - Ephesians 3:14-15 

My question is…Will you be my child? - John 1:12-13 

I am waiting for you. - Luke 15:11-32

Love your Dad, Almighty God

Chocolate Brownie.

After a full day of studying, I had no choice. I just had to grab the keys at 20 after 7 and go out for an icecream run. I thought about going to marble slab, but my mother reminded me that it's expensive, and also slipped me some money to go buy a carton at No Frills. Can't argue with the dollar bills.
Yum icecream.
So, I came home with some president's choice chocolate brownie ice cream.
It was slightly over the top on the decadent factor. You can never really know by just looking at the picture. So deceeeeiving. But chocolate always is.
Question though, why do we always feel the need to place "chocolate" before the word brownie. I mean the colour of chocolate is brown. Brown is already in the word brownie. It's just redundant. No need to say it twice. Any chocolate lover is gonna know that brownie means chocolate.
With my icecream fix satisfied, I sat down on the couch to watch me some SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE.
Perfect way to spend the eve of my final exam. Yes sir.

Speak Tenderly To Me

I don't really know what to say. But, I thought that the new layout deserved a new post.

Take a look at the phrase written under the title of this blog.

Bring me into the wilderness and speak tenderly to me. 

It comes from Hosea 3:14-15 which says 

"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope." 

This verse has been very poignant to me as of late. 

Let me break it down for you.

The wilderness represents a season where God purposely removes something from your life. He's promised you something. He's given you a desire, but he has yet to fulfill it. You know he's faithful, you know he's working on it. But, his answer is at that "Not yet" state that we impatiently dread. But, it's a "Not yet" because he wants to prepare you in some way, and because He wants to meet with you and show you himself.

When I think of the world "Wilderness", the words drought, barren, dry, empty, void come to mind. But, I love how God paints a completely different picture. 

In this verse in Hosea, he comes to allure Her (being the people of Israel who have sinned) into the wilderness. Where He then speaks tenderly to her. 

In other words, God wants to spend time with her, to reveal himself to her. It's full of love, and intimacy, and understanding. 

He purposefully brings her there. 

And after her speaks to her, and tenderly at that, she finds herself in a vineyard. A place of life, growth, fruitfulness, and blessing. A place where God turns her trouble (the meaning of Achor) into hope. 

There is just so much packed into two tiny verses.

Three things I've figured out about the "wilderness" from reading my bible:

*If you want specific references, I can give them to you. Leave me a comment. 

1. We never lack anything that we need in the wilderness.

2. God shows up in the wilderness.

3. The wilderness is always followed by a promised land. 

Stew on that for a while. I know I've been. 

K

It is finished.

I choose you Jesus. Come be my one thing.

My hope is in you Lord

I am steadfast, I will not be moved.

An anchor, never shaken. 

My hope is in you.